Ohio College of Clinical Pharmacy

ARTICLE I: NAME, PURPOSE, AND GOALS

Section 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Ohio College of Clinical Pharmacy (OCCP), a chapter of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP).

Section 2. Vision Statement and Purpose

Vision Statement

Advance the common interests of clinical pharmacists to enhance patient care

The purposes of this organization shall be to:

• promote the rational use of medications in society

• advance the principles and practice of clinical pharmacy in the state of Ohio

• promote the full time, advanced practice of clinical pharmacy

• encourage and communicate state-of-the-art research in clinical pharmacy

• provide an advanced level of continuing education programs in the area of clinical pharmacy

• provide a forum for the expression of opinions on pharmacy practice, education and research from the perspective of clinical pharmacists

• support, promote and advance the goals and objectives of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy as outlined in its Constitution and Bylaws

• provide a local recruiting base for ACCP

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Members

Active members shall consist of individuals interested in the goals and objectives of the ACCP regardless of race, creed, gender, or national origin.  Both ACCP and non-ACCP members may be chapter members, and be equally involved in contributing to the chapter, with the exception that non-ACCP chapter members shall not hold office.  To maintain ACCP chapter status, this chapter must have at least twenty (20) paid ACCP members.  In the event the chapter does not maintain twenty (20) ACCP members for two (2) consecutive years, the affiliation with ACCP will terminate. 

The membership of the college shall consist of members, associate members, and affiliate members.

A.   Members. Members are those that consist of pharmacists, fellows and residents

B.    Associate Members. Associate members are those due-paying person who do not qualify for full membership. The category shall include, but not be limited to, student members or those who do not qualify as a member yet.  Associate members cannot vote or hold office.

a.     Student Members. Students in a pharmacy degree program earning their first professional pharmacy degree.

C.    Affiliate Members. This category shall include dues-paying persons from other pharmacy disciplines and health science professions who do not qualify as a member or associate member but are interested in furthering the objectives of the College. Affiliate members cannot vote or hold office.

Section 2. Application        

Application for membership shall be made on a standard form and forwarded to the Secretary-Treasurer with any appropriate dues. Applicants are encouraged but are not required to be ACCP members.

ARTICLE III. GOVERNANCE

Section 1. Voting members

All active members (ACCP and non-ACCP members) shall have equal voting privileges.

Section 2. Officers

Only active members who are also ACCP members can be chapter officers. The officers shall consist of a President, President-Elect, and Secretary-Treasurer, who shall also serve as directors of the corporation. The President-Elect shall move successively to the office of President. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected for a two-year term. The terms of office for President and President-Elect shall be one year. The immediate Past President shall serve for one (1) year. Officers will assume office on January 1.

The President shall appoint, as needed additional directors of the corporation as may be required by law. The chapter may elect additional officers after an amendment to the chapter bylaws.

Section 3. Elections

Annual elections shall occur during the fourth quarter of each year. Not less than sixty (60) days prior to the annual election, the Nominations Committee shall present via mail or at a regularly scheduled meeting of the active membership for each elective office. In addition, other nominations from any active member may be made in writing to the Nominations Committee, or from the floor at any regularly scheduled meeting of the active membership, not less than thirty (30) days prior to the annual election. Voting shall take place in person at meetings of the membership, by mail, authorized communication equipment (including online voting), or proxy. Ballots will be tallied by at least two members of the Nominations Committee and certified accurate by the President or President-Elect. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes shall be forwarded to the ACCP Executive Director within thirty (30) days of the tally. The voting results shall be forwarded to the ACCP Director of Professional Development within thirty (30) days of the tally.

Section 4. Duties of officers

A. President. The President shall be the chief elected officer. The President shall preside at all regular and special meetings. The President shall have the right to call special meetings of the active membership, upon at least 21 days written notice to each member.

The President shall appoint all committee chairpersons and members and provide written charges to all standing and ad-hoc committees. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees or may delegate this ex-officio responsibility to the President-Elect or Secretary-Treasurer.

If the office of either the President-Elect or Secretary-Treasurer shall become vacant for any reason, the President shall appoint an Officer Pro Tempore until a special election can be held for the purpose of electing a new individual for the vacant position. Such election must be held within 90 days of the vacancy of the President-Elect or Secretary-Treasurer office.

B. President-Elect. The President-Elect shall assist the President in conducting organizational affairs, appointing ad-hoc committees, and appointing chairpersons and charges for all committees of the organization. The President-Elect shall take office after the president has completed his/her term.

During the temporary absence of the President, the President-Elect shall assume duties of the President Pro Tempore. If the office of President becomes vacant for any reason, the President-Elect shall immediately assume the office of President and shall appoint a President-Elect Pro Tempore until the next election.

C. Secretary-Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be custodian of the organization’s funds. This individual shall have the following responsibilities: supervise receipts and expenditures; render an annual statement to the membership on the financial condition of the organization; prepare and submit any reports required by law; record and maintain minutes of all meetings; have charge of all papers, archives, records and property; issue all notices of meetings; maintain an up-to-date membership roster; and provide periodic reports on the activities of the organization to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.

ARTICLE IV. FINANCES

Section 1. Funding Source

Funds may be derived from: an annual rebate from ACCP, whose amount shall be determined by the Board of Regents of ACCP based upon the number of active members present in this organization; dues collected from active members; income from educational programs, as well as endowment, gifts, grants, and bequests.

Section 2. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall begin the first day of January and end on the last day of December of each year.

Section 3. Dues

Annual dues, whose amount shall be set by the active membership not to exceed $100 U.S., may be required of all active members. An equitable dues structure may be established requiring a differential fee for chapter members who are non-ACCP members, not to exceed $100 U.S. annually. Dues shall be payable on January 1 each year and become delinquent sixty (60) days thereafter. Any member delinquent in his or her dues may be removed from the membership rolls.

Section 4. Loans

No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the organization and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by a two-thirds majority vote of the active membership.

Section 5. Authority

The active membership, by majority vote of those present at any regular or special meeting (including online voting), must approve any project requiring the expenditure of funds in excess of $500. This may be done up to two times per fiscal year.

Section 6. Scholarships

Scholarships shall be made available to student members of OCCP to assist with the costs of registration and travel expenses to attend OCCP and ACCP meetings. The number and amount of scholarships available shall be 2 per fiscal year. Prior to the spring meeting the Secretary-Treasurer will propose an amount based on OCCP’s financial situation and the meeting associated with the scholarship. Final approval of the scholarship will be required by the general membership. The students awarded the scholarships shall be chosen based off of standards set forth by the nominations committee, and will be chosen by the nominations committee no later than 30 days before the meeting the scholarship is associated with.

Section 7. Annual Report

An annual report of revenue and expenditures shall be provided each January by the Secretary-Treasurer to the chapter members and ACCP Executive Director. In keeping with the not-for-profit status of all chapters, the Secretary-Treasurer shall annually file a report of chapter revenues and expenditures with ACCP for submission to the Internal Revenue Service

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

At least two (2) educational programs or meetings shall be held per year. (for this document, an educational program is defined as a session of 1-4 hours in duration)

ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Membership

All ACCP and non-ACCP members can be committee members

Standing and ad-hoc committees shall function in an advisory capacity to the President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer and membership. Committees may develop and implement programs and policies authorized by the active membership. Committees shall not independently contact other organizations, nor secure or attempt to secure funds from outside sources without the prior approval of the President.

Committee chairpersons shall report on their activities at least annually and at such other times as directed by the President. The members of all standing committees shall hold office until relieved by their successors.

Section 2. Standing Committees

A. Nominations Committee.

The Nominations Committee shall be composed of the President and two members, other than the Secretary-Treasurer, appointed from the active membership. The Nominations Committee shall be chaired by either the President, the President-Elect, or active OCCP member with BPS certification. This committee is responsible for reviewing the credentials of interested members and preparing a final slate of candidates for all elective offices. It is also responsible for determination of scholarship recipients (if any).

B. Membership Committee.

The Membership Committee will conduct an on-going recruitment effort that actively identifies potential new members and recruits them into the organization and also into the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. This committee shall also develop a formal mechanism for encouraging chapter members who are non-ACCP members to join the College, which shall be implemented not less than annually. A summary of the effects of these efforts must be submitted with the chapter's annual report.

C. Steering Committee.

This committee is a task-oriented committee. The Steering committee will develop a mission statement for the Ohio College of Clinical Pharmacy that would be recommended for approval by the organization. This committee will then be responsible for establishing programs that will help the organization meet its mission statement. Some of these areas could include topics such as: collaborative research, precepting students and residents, clinical forums for clinicians, networking clinical coordinators, expansion of membership, etc. This committee will select a chairperson and will work closely with the president of OCCP.

D. Meeting Planning Committee.

This committee is a biennial standing committee. Members will serve 1-year renewable terms. The committee will organize the spring and fall OCCP meetings. Responsibilities include: determination of dates and venues, selection of topics and speakers, approval of ACPE continuing education credits, creation of the brochure, etc. This committee will collaborate with the Steering committee or subcommittees created by the Steering committee for the programs. The committee will select a chairperson and will work closely with the President of OCCP.

E. Finance Committee.

This committee is a biennial standing committee. The committee will be geographically diverse. The major goal would be to solicit funds for sponsorship of the fall and spring OCCP meetings. This committee will select a chairperson and will work closely with the OCCP Treasurer.

F. Communications Committee.

This committee will be responsible for determining appropriate use of technology for the benefit of its members. Responsibilities include maintenance and ongoing management of the OCCP website (www.occpweb.org), publishing an OCCP Newsletter, and administration of OCCP online voting. The committee will select a chairperson and will work closely with the President of OCCP.

G. Advocacy Committee.

The purpose of the Advocacy Committee is to monitor and advise OCCP membership about legislative bills affecting medication use, pharmacy practice, and health care. This committee will be responsible for the development and maintenance of a legislative platform supporting the OCCP mission statement.

H. Ad-Hoc Committees.

Ad-hoc committees may be appointed at the discretion of the President. Such committees shall remain active until they have accomplished the purposes for which they were appointed or until inauguration of the succeeding President.

ARTICLE VII. EXPULSION

Persons may be expelled from active membership for unprofessional conduct or for violation of obligations of these Bylaws or the Constitution or Bylaws of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Submission of charges shall be made in writing to the President by at least two active members in good standing. No person shall be expelled unless that person shall have been given notice of the charges in writing by the President and shall have had a chance to reply in writing to those charges for a period of 60 days. A review panel composed of the President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and three active members, other than those submitting the charges, shall be convened and the person in question shall have the right to attend that hearing. If a majority vote of the review panel finds the charges to be valid and warranting expulsion, then the question shall be brought before the active membership. No person shall be expelled unless two-thirds of the active members present at a regular or specially called meeting vote for expulsion, and said decision shall be final.

ARTICLE VIII.  AFFILIATION

The Ohio College of Clinical Pharmacy is an affiliated chapter of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) and as such supports and promotes the goals and objectives of ACCP as outlined in its Constitution and Bylaws.

The Ohio College of Clinical Pharmacy (OCCP) is affiliated with Student College of Clinical Pharmacy (SCCP) chapters established within the state of Ohio and as such shall be responsible for providing necessary resources to facilitate the establishment and growth of SCCP chapters. Such resources shall include, but are not limited to, materials regarding bylaws, proposed organization structure, and contact information for established SCCP chapters. Established SCCP chapters shall provide the aforementioned resources to OCCP to help facilitate this process. OCCP members shall serve as mentors and exemplify the leadership role for student members. OCCP shall also provide personnel resources, within reason, if requests are made by an SCCP chapter for a topic discussion pertaining to a specialty that is unavailable through their local resources

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS

Amendments to these Bylaws may be considered at any meeting of the membership. Amendments may be initiated by a proposal signed by at least two active (voting) members, and shall be delivered to the President-Elect. Within thirty days thereafter, the President-Elect shall send notice of the proposed amendment to all voting members. Such notification must be sent to all voting members not less than thirty days prior to a meeting of the membership where such amendment is to be considered. Amendments to these Bylaws shall be approved by a majority of votes cast.

All amendments of these chapter bylaws shall be approved by a designated ACCP staff member and the ACCP Organizational Affairs Committee before they become officially active.

ARTICLE X. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

The latest revised edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall prevail at all meetings, except when contrary to the Bylaws or any standing rule.

ARTICLE XI. DISSOLUTION

Section 1. Procedure

In order to dissolve this organization, the President must present a resolution recommending that the organization be dissolved to the active membership. A proposal for dissolution may be considered at a regular or special meeting of the active membership only after thirty days notice in writing is given to each member in good standing. The resolution to dissolve shall be adopted upon receiving at least 80% of the votes entitled to be cast by active members present at such regular or special meeting. This organization shall not be dissolved while 20% or more of the members in good standing dissent.

Section 2. Final Dissolution Procedures

Upon adoption of the resolution for dissolution, this organization shall cease to conduct its affairs, except insofar as may be necessary for the proper completion therof, and shall immediately cause a notice for the proposed dissolution to be mailed to each known creditor and shall proceed to collect its assets and apply and distribute them as provided in the Articles of Incorporation.

FEDERAL EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 31-1333034

Date first adopted: October 1991; updated September 2012; with ACCP comments February 2013

Date(s)/Section(s) amended: 3/2015 (III-3, IV-5, VI-2)

Date(s)/Section(s) amended 5/2017 (IV-5, VI-2)